This invention relates to catering and food service equipment, and more particularly to food pan carriers which comprise a pan carrier body and a door slidable relative to the body.
In the catering and food service industry, food carried in food pans is transported in a number of different types of equipment, depending on the size and shape of the pan in which the food is placed. The equipment in which the food pans are carried are typically referred to as food pan carriers. Prior art food pan carriers are shown in FIGS. 1–4. FIG. 1 shows a prior art food pan carrier which generally may be designated as a side loader. The side loader is designated as such because the equipment is hinged to allow a side to open so that food pans may be placed in the side loader and removed therefrom. Side loaders have different shapes and sizes to accommodate a variety of sizes of food pans.
Another food pan carrier, designated as an end loader is shown in FIG. 2. End loaders will typically accommodate all full-size food pans of varying depth, including but not limited to 6-inch, 4-inch and 2½-inch pans. FIGS. 3 and 4 show food pans carriers which may be designated top loaders. Top loaders are manufactured in a variety of sizes including but not limited to 4-inch single pans carriers, 6-inch single pan carriers and combination pan carriers. Food pan carriers are typically constructed of a plastic, and specifically are comprised of a plastic shell filled with an insulating material, such as an insulating foam. The doors, or lids of the food pan carriers are typically attached with separate metal or plastic hinges and utilize metal or plastic latches to close the doors so that food is maintained at the desired temperature for a desired amount of time. Generally, food must be maintained at a temperature above 141° F. Existing food pan carriers are typically designed to maintain food heated to a temperature of 185° F. at a temperature of at least 141° F. for an extended period of time, and preferably usually for a minimum of about six hours. Although such food pan carriers work adequately, they are constructed of a number of different pieces to allow the doors and/or lids for the food pan carriers to open and close adequately. A variety of metal screws and other fasteners are necessary to attach hinges and latches, which are typically metal, and metal pins are typically used as hinge pins. Thus, while the food pan carriers known in the prior art work adequately, food pan carriers of fewer parts are desirable. In addition to expense that could be saved with such a food pan carrier, many institutions, such as, for example prisons, restrict the type of materials that can be utilized within the confines of the institution.